Family court & support in Ely
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
Which court serves you
Ely Magistrates' Court is closed — the 190-year-old courthouse shut in 2012 after the government's 2010 closure programme (confirmed by BBC News and the Ely Standard), and it does not appear as a live venue on the HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" service. There is no standalone family court in Ely: family work for East Cambridgeshire (divorce, C100 child arrangements, financial remedy, FL401) is handled at Cambridge County Court and Family Court, 197 East Road, Cambridge CB1 1BA — see our Cambridge family court guide. Some magistrates'-level family work can also be listed at other Cambridgeshire venues. Always check your hearing notice: it names the court you must attend. HMCTS National Contact Centre: 0300 123 5577.
Citizens Advice
- Citizens Advice Rural Cambs (Ely office) — 70 Market Street, Ely CB7 4LS. General advice line 0808 278 7807 (Mon–Fri 9.30am–3.30pm); debt advice and CLAS help on the same line. Limited first-come drop-in sessions — check current times at https://www.citizensadviceruralcambs.org.uk/ before travelling. For most other enquiries East Cambridgeshire residents are routed via East Cambridgeshire District Council's Advice Hub: 01353 665555 (eastcambs.gov.uk).
- National Adviceline: 0800 144 8848 (free)
Mediation & your MIAM
Before most family court applications you must attend a MIAM. Search the FMC register for accredited mediators covering Ely and East Cambridgeshire: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/ — see our mediation guide for costs (the £500 voucher, ~£120 MIAM fees, legal aid) and our East of England mediation page.
Domestic abuse support
- Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24/7, free) · emergency 999 · non-emergency police 101
- Keep devices safe: learn how abusers track phones and accounts at https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ — see our East of England DA support page for Cambridgeshire services.
Children's services
Ely falls under Cambridgeshire County Council (East Cambridgeshire district). To report concerns about a child or contact Children's Services, use the routes listed at https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse. CAFCASS involvement in family proceedings is covered on our CAFCASS East of England page.
Getting to your hearing
Cambridge County Court and Family Court is on East Road, around 10–15 minutes on foot from Cambridge railway station (direct trains run from Ely in roughly 15–20 minutes). There is no public parking at the court — the Cambridge East / Newmarket Road Park & Ride serves the east side of the city. Allow time to clear security before your listed time.
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.
Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.